13 DECEMBER 1884, Page 2

On one other point Sir Charles Dilke's speech was of

interest. He referred to the probability that many of the new county divisions would return men like Mr. Jesse Collings, pledged to do their best to make those who had plundered Commons return to the public the slices they had taken; and de- clared his conviction that many such men might be elected, and that certainly some such measure as the one indicated would be carried. Referring to the letter by " A Country Vicar," in our last issue, Sir Charles Dilke said, in reply to the opening question,—" Sir, would you be surprised to hear that the agricultural labourer is becoming quite indifferent to the occupation of allotment lands ?"—" I was very much sur- prised indeed to hear it.. Receiving, as I do, much expression of the indignation of the labourers at the way in which the Allot-

ments Extension Act has been allowed to sleep, I cannot and do not,believe that the experience of A Country Vicar' is the general experience."